The Crunch: Ottawa’s Leading Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship Competition

By Yash Imrith

Content Creator , Entrepreneurship Month

Student experience
The Crunch
Get ready for an electrifying experience at The Crunch 2024! This year, Algonquin College is hosting and joining forces with Carleton University, Collège La Cité and the University of Ottawa to ignite innovation and inspire purposeful business ventures! Whether you’re going solo or teaming up with friends, this is your chance to tackle challenges and bridge gaps across various industries to make a difference in fields like health innovation, social impact, and emerging technologies.

Event Highlights

Over the weekend, participants will form teams, develop their business models, and pitch their groundbreaking ideas. This event, which will be held from November 15 to 17, offers a unique opportunity to experience the dynamic life of a startup.

Why should you participate?

  • Win cash prizes
  • Develop problem-solving skills
  • Practice pitching a product
  • Expand your network
  • Bring your ideas to life
  • Meet established mentors
  • Solve real-world problems

Recap of The Crunch 2023

Last year, The Crunch 2023 was a vibrant celebration of entrepreneurship hosted at Carleton University. Seventy-five passionate students formed 14 teams and embarked on a transformative journey. The event culminated in a series of riveting pitches, showcasing innovative solutions to real-world problems.

One standout innovation was Ecosorter, a revolutionary waste management solution that earned the grand prize of $1000. This team of seven talented individuals addressed the issue of mis-sorted recycling with a technology-driven approach, offering a promising solution to current recycling challenges.

Kelly Guelcé, who recently arrived in Canada, was always interested in entrepreneurship. His team’s idea, Ecosorter, was born from combining various concepts to create a technology-driven solution for waste management.

When asked how winning The Crunch affected his entrepreneurial journey, Kelly said that “it expanded my network significantly. I’ve stayed in touch with the organizers at Carleton University and my awesome teammates. We still attend networking events together and have had amazing moments. My pitch skills

improved thanks to the workshops provided during The Crunch, and the resources were incredibly useful.”

Kelly’s advice for future participants is to “listen more, pay attention to the workshops and to what the mentors have to say. Collect insights and advice that can boost your career and entrepreneurial journey.”

His final words of wisdom: “Make the most out of these opportunities. Go with a purpose, not necessarily to win, but to think about what you can gain after The Crunch. It’s an environment full of entrepreneurs, so learn as much as you can.”